The Illusion of the Eternal Opsimath

An opsimath is a person who studies/learns/learns new tricks later in life. It is a word of quality and refinement, pleasing to the touch in an almost erotic way (well, for some of us, ahem...).

The word was in the Glen Duncan book (Weathercock), described by one of the reviewers as a bildungsroman (a novel dealing with a person's spiritual development or education - moral, psychological, intellectual, etc - also a pretty stonking word and one which I will endeavour to use in a quotidien way (now I'm just showing off - to myself??!!)

Example in use (at job interview): 'So Mr Farrow, is your preferred reading material a bildungsroman or Pornhub?'

The book is superb - Glen Duncan isnt everyone's taste but he resonates with my darker side and this self examination/questioning of personal morals and the nature of good and evil is right up my street. I also loved I Lucifer.

On to lighter matters, we all know what self delusion is and most of us practise it to some extent, but how about a spot of self illusion (looking in the mirror and seeing someone younger/better looking/fitter than you actually are). If you could find a self enhancing mirror or invent an app that does it, you'll be bigger than Jobs (Steve Jobs, not faeces). Everything has its flip side so of course there must be self disillusion (looking in the mirror and seeing someone older, fatter....than you really are).

Stop press - its not really self disillusion, you really do look like that! (Sorry, but at least you can save your disillusionment for something more rewarding, like your national or club football team- but thats too big for the time available before breakfast.

It may seem horribly cruel but a clubfoot ball team (subtle adjustment of gaps) would be quite entertaining - for a minute until conscience kicks in (what side does he play for?)

marination - trouche!

Marination - I heard it in an advert and thought it was just another example of the degradation of our English language. Imagine my surprise (as they used to say in Viz) when I found out it was a real word, relating to bunging herbs, spices, oils etc on bits of meat in the hope of bringing them to life (so to speak). I guess you could call it a failed resurrection - come to think of it, didnt they anoint Jesus with something - balsamix and chipotle sauce I believe.

Trouche, I thought - although it could be trueche - its pronounced like the genuine Irish goalkeeper True-Shay. Trouche is a word of my own invention - an exclamation congratulating (with a hint of sarcasm and possibly through lightly gritted teeth) one's conversational counterpart for pointing out a fact that contradicts one's own confident but unfounded assertion. The underlying sentiment is 'you've won this time at my expense but an intellectual giant such as I will not be denied indefinitely'.

Why anyone would want to put grit on their teeth I dont know - they dont, you say - trouche!